emerging aboriginal artists from western australia - Gallery Central

Emerging Aboriginal Artists from Western Australia

Kiya Wandjoo bullarung marman kah yok, noonook nyininy Nyoongar boodjar.Hello and welcome many men and women, you are sitting on Nyoongar land.Gnulla meowl djurapiny noonook yarr kooliny – djinunginy marr wangkinyRevealed – Emerging Aboriginal Artists from Western Australia.Our eyes are happy to see you. Come, look and see this art exhibition entitledRevealed – Emerging Aboriginal Artists from Western Australia.1

MESSAGE FROM THE MINISTER OF CULTURE AND THE ARTSThe State Government is proud to show its commitment to the Indigenous arts sectorthrough the Revealed: Emerging Aboriginal Artists from Western Australia exhibition.THE HONOURABLE JOHN DAY MLAThe Revealed exhibition hosts works of the next generation ofemerging Indigenous artists from across Western Australia. Supportfor emerging artists through Revealed is vital to the continuingsuccess of Western Australia’s thriving Indigenous arts industry andpromotion of Indigenous cultural expression.This event is part of the Revealed 2011 project, an important partnershipbetween the Department of Culture and the Arts, Office forthe Arts of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, CentralInstitute of Technology and the Department of Indigenous Affairs.The exhibition will build on the success of the inaugural Revealedproject of 2008 by increasing both its sales and visitor attendance.As part of the Commonwealth Festival, Perth 2011, the StateGovernment’s celebration of the Commonwealth Heads ofGovernment Meeting, the exhibition will receive unprecedentedexposure to a world-wide audience.Revealed 2011 will also deliver an exciting Artsworker mentorshipfor three emerging artsworkers across the State and a professionaldevelopment program for participating artists. These programs willexpand knowledge of the industry in diverse areas from governanceto working with new media.Representing more than 50 emerging Indigenous artists from 18art centres across this vast State, the exhibition will showcase anextensive range of stunning works in various media such as canvases,fibre art, wooden artefacts and carvings.I am delighted to present these artists to you and my congratulationsto all involved.2

What is Revealed?Revealed presents a fusion of contemporary and traditional works of art by emergingAboriginal artists, revealing artistic, social, cultural and linguistic diversity from acrossremote, regional and urban Western Australia.Exhibition: The exhibition showcases more than 50 artists; eachrepresenting a different facet of what it is to be an emerging artist.Through a range of diverse mediums, including acrylic and ochrepaintings, works on paper, installation art, carving and fibre art, theexhibition provides audiences with insight into Aboriginal artists’perspectives.Marketplace: The majority of artists in Revealed are from remotecommunities. Through Revealed’s exhibition and marketplace, Perthaudiences are given a rare chance to learn more about remoteAboriginal art centres and the diversity of Aboriginal culture,alongside the chance to buy works of art. Revealed creates a forumfor artists to build their careers and livelihoods and supports strongerrelationships between artists, art centres and the commercial artmarket.Professional Development: Visiting artists and staff areparticipating in a two-day workshop program. This artistic andeducational forum provides an opportunity to come together, tolisten and share their achievements, as well as meeting with andlearning from industry specialists.Artsworkers Program: Three emerging artsworkers havejoined the Revealed team to help present the exhibition and itsassociated programs. The program supports these artsworkers toaccess new professional skills and experience and to be mentored.The program is a valuable opportunity for sharing their perspectivesand knowledge with each other and the Revealed team.Revealed is a catalyst for inspiration, exchange and building newnetworks. We invite you to connect with the next generation ofemerging talent.3

Take a spin around the StateThelma John – Gallery Central, Central Institute of TechnologyCentral Institute of Technology is delighted to take a leading role in the Revealed project for thesecond time. As in 2008, the purpose of Revealed is multidimensional, spanning an exhibition, amarketplace and a professional development program that includes mentoring three Aboriginalartsworkers. Revealed involves bringing artists, artsworkers and art centre managers to Perth tospend time meeting each other, discussing common ground and art centre business, learningnew skills such as photography and glass production and curating, as well as celebrating theirachievements and coming into dialogue with art collectors, dealers and enthusiasts. In a Statethe size of ours, that is a quite a feat, with some artists travelling a long distance even beforethey board the plane. Such an opportunity exists because Western Australian Aboriginal artproduction and its impact on Aboriginal lives, is valued and there is a commitment to nurture thenext generation of artists.Revealed is all about emerging artists. Many senior artists have achievedrecognition, command high prices and are seasoned internationaltravellers, as the world embraces their unique ways of sharing theirrelationship to Country through the medium of visual art. Senior artistsare selected for important national exhibitions and acquired intosignificant collections. Their images adorn the walls of the highest officesof the country and their names and faces are known to many Australians,even though they may never have stepped outside of the capital cities.This has given Aboriginal people, their culture and stories a seat at thetable in so many ways. It is through things such as sport, music andvisual art that Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people have developed adialogue and started to build an understanding of each other. A visuallanguage has developed that recognises regional variation, a languagethat is living and developing into the future.Emerging artists are the key to that future and Revealed was designed togain exposure for these artists who are in the early stages of their careers,providing a springboard to future success. Artists emerge at all ages andespecially so in the contemporary Aboriginal art world.Collecting ochre at Warmun Art CentreThe next generation of new artists have a low profile in the market, yetbuyers of art are often looking for artists with potential, whose work theycan afford to buy before they become well known. The type of exposuregained through Revealed builds from the bottom up, creating sales4

Reveal, revealed, revealing the new in Western Australian Aboriginal artCarly Lane – Curator of Indigenous artThere is nothing more exciting than those first few times you do something big, something thatsits outside of your comfort zone, pushing you to new places and ideas in your own personal andprofessional growth. And so it is with art and exhibiting. Even if you are an uber art star, thereare always firsts: a starting place, a moment in time, where you venture onto the metaphoricalledge to see whether you can fly. Revealed: Emerging Aboriginal Artists from Western Australia 2011is such a place. It is that crucial moment in time for many of the participating artists, poised on thebrink of becoming a professional artist.Beerbee Mungnari with his painting, Warmun Art CentreRevealed celebrates the next generation of artists practicing in WesternAustralia. Revealed brings together more than 50 early career artists froma diversity of cities, regions, remote communities, nations and Aboriginallanguage groups, who share the unifying experience of expressing therichness of Aboriginal culture and lived experience. The exhibition istestimony to the resilience and creativity of many Aboriginal and TorresStrait Islander people, in spite of the social and geographic isolation theyface and the ongoing systemic disadvantage which remains a legacyof British colonisation. The artists’ works also bare evidence of a livingculture that embraces the present as much as it does the past. What iscompelling about Revealed is the intrinsic declaration that unfolds acrossthe exhibition: we are here, this is now, this is important!The power of art to communicate is as profound, as it is cultural, as it iscreative. Yet, what are the practical implications of a show like Revealedfor an artist? Aside from the mixed feelings – excitement, delight,vulnerability and even nervous tension – that arise from seeing yourwork featured in an exhibition, Revealed offers artists, and other artprofessionals, real opportunities for professional growth. Before lookingat some of these, it is important to make mention of the innate value ofRevealed as a safety net for artists who are entering a new phase of artproduction. Artists will be able to draw comfort in the fact that they areamong peers as they explore the newness of exhibiting.Gaining familiarity with exhibiting through personal experience offersartists greater grounding in their career. Actively participating inRevealed can dispel the illusion, mystery, and general sense of unknownthat surrounds the act of exhibiting. Knowing what is required (at boththe front and back ends of an exhibition) places artists in a moreinformed, and empowered, position from which to steer their practiceinto the future.6

For participating in Revealed, artists will also be rewarded with afreedom that is not always afforded to mid career and established artists.The freedom of which I speak is that of being able to technically andconceptually explore, express and engage without the heavy weight ofexpectation, which is so often placed on those who have been practicingfor years. In my experience, connoisseurs of the art world will be openand generous in their approach to works featured in Revealed. Curators,collectors, visiting artists, gallerists and the general public will makeunequivocally positive noises, providing words of encouragement toartists, friends and colleagues about the qualities they see in individualworks. Such feedback can be invaluable for an early career artist becauseit reinforces potential and existing strengths in their practice.The opportunity to engage with other emerging artists, who are spreadacross the length and breadth of Western Australia, is an infrequent andunique occurrence that only Revealed in its second inauguration continuesto address. This decentralised group of artists will undoubtedly findvalue in the interactions that take place around the Revealed program.Exposure to different works of art, styles, media, ideas and an immersionin artistic camaraderie provide necessary and creative sustenance inwhat can be a highly isolated pursuit. The ability to physically view aseries of works as well as partake in meaningful conversation enablesartists to assess, exchange and build on their current practice.The thrill of Revealed, especially what it might unveil, is likewise felt amongarts workers, curators, private collectors, and gallerists. We get to sampleen masse the interests, convictions and emerging styles of the next waveof Western Australian Aboriginal artists. The significance of being ableto engage with art and artists en masse cannot be overemphasised,particularly when issues of distance, money and time severely hamperthe ability to visit scores of artists in their own locale. Art en masseprovides the very necessary opportunity to assess the continuities anddepartures, as well as the continuum across intrastate regional art styles,and what it means for contemporary Indigenous art. Art professionalsare appreciative of programs like Revealed to deliver to our metrocentric-space– in this case, Perth – the quantity of information we seek.Moreover, Revealed offers the chance to build timely and direct workingrelationships with artists, and the art centres that support their creativeWarmun Art CentreWinnie Sampi and her painting, Spinifex Hill Artists7

Learning important cultural dances and collecting ochre at Warmundevelopment, at the beginning of their careers. Too often, we meetartists long after we know their work.Being on the radar of the art professionals is important for buildingeconomically sustainable long-term careers. Visibility (and product) iskey to active representation by art centres and gallerists, for inclusionin collections, awards, triennials and themed exhibitions, as well as forcommissions, artist residencies and other opportunities. Representationin Revealed will inevitably lead to invitations to participate elsewhere,subsequently increasing an artist’s visibility and public profile. Whoknows what exciting opportunities will arise for those artists showingtheir work to the thousands of people descending on Perth for theCommonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in 2011.While this is an essay celebrating the virtues of an emerging artistsexhibition it is important to flag other issues relevant to contemporaryIndigenous art today such as the necessity of appropriate funding for thevisual arts in Australia, the need to increase the support and participationof urban based artists nationally, and the renewed calls to establish aflagship museum dedicated to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art.All are worthy of further thought and action.Revealed offers a commonality of experience and real opportunities forprofessional growth. The exhibition is at once a celebration and a haven forartists to experiment and engage with like-minded peers. With guidanceand further commitment, this group of emerging artists can confidentlytake the next step toward realising their individual aspirations. As perthe lyrics of Australian singer songwriter Kev Carmody, ‘from little things,big things grow’ – Revealed is simply the start of bigger things to come.Over the past five years I have developed a keen understanding of my culture that is Noongar culture, through paint oncanvas and I am proud to have my work in this exhibition.Jerome Williams, Mungart Boodja Art Centre8

An Indigenous RevelationRon Bradfield Jnr – Indigenous AdvisorDespite all the negativity and hype that you hear about Indigenous Australians, there are anincredible amount of good things happening in our Indigenous communities – an amazingamount of richness and vivacity. What doesn’t happen well in our society is the sharing of thesestories with the rest of wider Australia. When was the last time you had a good yarn with anIndigenous person and – more importantly – when was the last time you heard one?Indigenous Art Centres live and breathe through their artists, the way thatships come to life through their sailors. A quick visit to any of the many ArtCentres in this state couldn’t begin to show you the nature or depth of this.You need to stop, look and listen – really listen – and only then, will you beginto develop a feel for the thrum of life that surrounds you in an Indigenouscommunity.For the few of us that work with Australia’s Indigenous peoples and theircommunities, this revelation is old news. We’ve been lucky enough to be onthe receiving end of some of the most amazing smiles you’re ever likely tosee in this country. We’ve been made welcome in places that most Australianshaven’t heard of and, we’ve been humbled by the way that community peoplehave invited us into their lives and homes.Art allows Indigenous peoples to be seen, heard and felt throughoutAustralian society. Art brings to you their world, their unique view of theplaces they inhabit, the experiences they’ve had and the memories they carry.Their artworks remind us all that they too are human; that they laugh and cry,they love and dream and that they too celebrate this life they’ve been given.Their works of art offer you an opportunity to look upon this land in a verydifferent light. In doing so, it brings to Indigenous peoples those things thatall people seek in their lives; happiness, confidence, validation and a real senseof achievement. It brings with it a sense of pride and joy that – sadly – doesn’tmake much of an appearance out there in mainstream, everyday life for mostAustralians.For a moment – when you view the artworks you see in this year’s Revealedexhibition – I want you to put aside any assumptions you have trapped insideyour head about this country’s first peoples. Imagine the person who haspresented the slice of life you see before you and imagine their journey, asthey give you a small glimpse into the world they know and the places theycome from. As an Indigenous person myself – I invite you to let the art do the‘talking’ and let the people and their yarns in.Artist Ken Shepherd from Warakurna Artists9

OrdMelville Is.Bathurst Is.Western Australian Aboriginal art centres provide studio space,materials, education, employment and training opportunities andassistance in developing artists’ careers and professional networks.Economic livelihoods are generated as well as reinforcement providedfor artists and their families to practice cultural maintenance.KIRO KIROKALUMBURU ARTCENTREWyndhamWARINGARRI ARTSLake ArgyleKununurraDARWINWARMUN ART CENTREMOWANJUM ARTISTSDerbyBroomeFitzroy CrossingYARLIYIL ART CENTREBIDYADANGA MANGKAJA ARTS Halls CreekCOMMUNITY ART RESOURCE AGENCYCENTREFitzroyDampierKarrathaPort HedlandSPINIFEX HILL ARTISTSDe GreyOnslowAshburtonFortescueTom PriceNullagineMARTUMILIARTISTS NewmanNewmanMARTUMILI ARTISTSPunmuMARTUMILI ARTISTSKunawarritjiMARTUMILI ARTIST ParrngurrMARTUMILI ARTISTSJigalongAlice SpringsCarnarvonGWOONWARDU MIAGasgoyneTJANPI DESERT WEAVERSTJARLIRLI ARTMurchisonMeekatharraBIRRILIBURU ARTISTSTJUKURBA GALLERYWilunaWARAKURNA ARTISTSPAPULANKUTJA ARTISTSWIRNDA BARNA ARTISTSGeraldtonYAMAJI ARTMt MagnetLeonoraLavertonKalgoorlieSwanPERTHMUNGART BOODJA ART CENTREKatanningAlbany11

Participating Artists, Art Centres and CommunitiesBidyadanga Community Art Centre [Bidyadanga]Marilyn BullenMervyn NumbagardieEmma Louise NundiBirriliburu Artists, Tjukurba Gallery [Wiluna]Stacey PettersenEmerging Aboriginal Artists from Western AustraliaGwoonwardu Mia: Gascoyne Aboriginal Heritage &Cultural Centre [Carnarvon]Barry BelottiBonnie IngramElaine MoncrieffKiro Kiro Kalumburu Art Centre [Kalumburu]Betty BundamarraMary Punchi ClementMercy Pumorra FredericksMary Teresa TailorMangkaja Arts Resource Agency [Fitzroy Crossing]Jack McCaleJean RangiMartumili Artists [Newman, Kunawarritji, Punmu,Nullagine, Jigalong + Parnngurr]Miriam AtkinsMitchell BiljabuAmy FrenchBaker LaneMinyawe MillerMowanjum Art and Culture Centre [Mowanjum]Francis DolbyPriscilla NumendumahTheresa NumendumahMungart Boodja Art Centre [Katanning]Sharyn EganPhilip HansenKimberley KrakouerJerome Williams12

Papulankutja Artists [Papulankutja]Carlton ReidSpinifex Hill Artists [Port Hedland]Katie NalgoodWinnie SampiTjanpi Desert Weavers[Alice Springs and the Ngaanyatjarra Lands]Dorcas Tinnimay BennetDiane Ungukalpi GoldingWarmun Art Centre [Warmun]Blandina BarneyLorraine DaylightBenita EverettWirnda Barna Artists [Mount Magnet]Andrew BinsairYamaji Art [Geraldton]Charmaine GreenRuby McIntoshTjarlirli Art [Tjukurla]Annie FarmerNeil MaxwellYarliyil Art Centre [Halls Creek]Stan BrumbyBiddy TimbinahWarakurna Artists [Warakurna]Ken ShepherdWaringarri Artists [Kununurra]Kelly Anne DrillButton JonesLouise MalarvieINDEPENDENT ARTISTS [Perth]KrocetteVanessa Russ13

BIDYADANGA COMMUNITY ART CENTREGrowing out of a partnership between KimberleyTraining Institute and Kularri Regional CDEPIncorporated, Bidyadanga Community Art Centresupports Bidyadanga artists to complete courses inVisual Arts, Contemporary Arts and Crafts CertificateI, II and III. Bidyadanga artists are now also enrolledin Certificate III in Arts Administration. The artists aimto utilise their training in a tangible way, to establishthemselves as commercially successful artists andare currently working towards creating their own artcentre in the community.Bidyadanga artists administrator and Revealed ArtsworkerNatalie Hunter describes the artists as wanting“…to paint our Country (landscape and sea), to shareour stories from our heart and re-tell stories told tous by our old people who walked out of the desert30 – 40 years ago”.Emma Louise NundiRamaacrylic on canvas50 x 63 cmopposite page:Marilyn BullenLand M -eets Seaacrylic on canvas51 x 51 cmStudio:Bidyadanga CommunityMervyn NumbagardieWalmajarri and Juwaliny Countryacrylic on canvas88 x 97 cmContact:P.O Box 634Broome WA 6725T: +61 8 9192 496214

BIRRILIBURU ARTISTSTJUKURBA GALLERYLocated in Wiluna at the start of the Canning StockRoute (1,000 kilometres from Perth), Tjukurba isan initiative of the Shire of Wiluna and providessupport for local Martu artists by ensuring the ethicalproduction and sale of their art.The artists of Wiluna – Birriliburu Artists – paint ina variety of styles and palettes, depicting storieswhich embody a rich culture of Country, history, andlifestyle. Images of the Canning Stock Route and thefamous Rabbit-Proof Fence are often central to theworks. Birriliburu Artists are gaining recognition forpaintings and works on paper through participationin Ngurra Kuju Walyja (One Country, One people) –The Canning Stock Route Project and the YiwarraKuju exhibition produced by FORM and the NationalMuseum of Australia. We also have representation inthe National Historical Collection.Birriliburu Artists, Tjukurba Art Gallery is a must seedestination for visitors to the Goldfields region ofWestern Australia and is proudly hosted by the Shireof Wiluna.Gallery, Studio + Office:Lot 486 Scotia St., WilunaStacey PettersonParnka Businessacrylic on canvas152 x 26 cmContact:PO Box 38Wiluna WA 6646T: +61 8 9981 8001 E: agm@wiluna.wa.gov.auW: www.wiluna.wa.gov.au/gallery16

GWOONWARDU MIAGASCOYNE ABORIGINAL HERITAGE + CULTURAL CENTRE INC.Gwoonwardu Mia – the Gascoyne Aboriginal Heritageand Cultural Centre is fast becoming the vibrantmultifunctional centre and meeting place that is thecommunity’s original vision. Gwoonwardu Mia – theGascoyne regions’ five Aboriginal language groupscome together to celebrate and recognise Aboriginalculture. You can experience the Gascoyne’s Aboriginalhistory, art, heritage and culture visiting GwoonwarduMia. This is also the home of the Jilinbirri Weavers whowere the Cultural Centre’s first artists in residence.Walk through the ethnobotanical gardens andexplore a variety of flora native to the region. You canmeet Aboriginal artists and purchase works of art,and delight in the bush tucker cuisine available atthe Gwoonwardu Mia Café. The Centre also includesGalleries, Conference & Meeting Rooms, Gallery Shop,Artist in Residence and Performance Space. Openweekdays 10am–3pm.Bonnie Ingram(detail) Bush Medicineacrylic on canvas330 x 130 cmGalleries, Studios + Office:144–146 Robinson Street, CarnarvonContact:PO Box 929Carnarvon WA 6701T: +61 8 9941 1989 E: justine@gahcc.com.auW: www.gahcc.com.au17

KIRO KIRO KALUMBURU ART CENTREKalumburu is the northern-most community inWestern Australia. The region is rich in rock art,particularly of the Wandjina and Gwion Gwion orKiro Kiro figures. Arts practice is grounded in the rockart tradition, with contemporary practice includingsecular themes of sea-life and seasonal flora. Whileartistic practice has always been a strong culturalactivity for the Kalumburu community, it was onlyin 2009 that the Kiro Kiro Kalumburu Art Centre wasestablished with ongoing assistance from WaringarriAboriginal Arts in Kununurra. Artists paint with ochrepigments onto canvas, papers and bark and areskilled slate and boab engravers. Kiro Kiro Art centreprovides opportunities for new artists to developtheir skills and tradition.Mercy Payrrmurra FredericksWandjina and Ungurrnatural ochre and pigment on canvas80 x 45 cmopposite page:Mary Punchi ClementAll the Seasonsnatural ochre and pigment on canvas25 x 25 cmMercy Payrrmurra FredericksThe Black Widow Snakenatural ochre and pigment on canvas45 x 45 cmBetty BundamaraHunting Figuresnatural ochre and pigment on canvas25 x 25 cmKiro KiroKalumburuStudio:Kalumburu CommunityContact:E: kalumburu@waringarriarts.com.auE: sales@waringarriarts.com.auT: [Waringarri Aboriginal Arts] +61 8 9168 221218

MANGKAJA ARTS RESOURCE AGENCYMangkaja is an Aboriginal owned art centre situatedin Fitzroy Crossing. Mangkaja is a Walmajarri wordmeaning ‘wet weather shelter’. The art centre bringstogether artists from four main language groupsincluding Wangkatjungka and Walmajarri from theGreat Sandy Desert and Bunuba and Gooniyandi fromthe river Country along the Fitzroy River valley.Many Mangkaja artists are represented in stategalleries, the National Gallery of Australia andsignificant private and public collections aroundthe world. The meeting of desert and river cultureshas produced a unique range of strengths in ourfine art and cultural artefacts. Mangkaja artists painticonic images of Country that tell essential stories ofheritage and identity and we are renowned for largecollaborative canvasses.Jean RangiJumuacrylic on canvas120 x 90 cmGallery, Studio + Office:8 Bell Road, Fitzroy CrossingContact:PO Box 117Fitzroy Crossing WA 6725T: +61 8 9191 5833 E: mangkaja.arts@bigpond.comW: www.mangkaja.com20

Jack McCaleThudarndi Ungud and Ginminmara (rainmaker)acrylic on canvas180 x 240 cm21

MARTUMILI ARTISTSMitchell Biljabu and Baker Laneleft to right: Mulyatingki Marney, Nancy Chapman, Nancy Taylor and Katheleen Sorensonwith their basketsMartumili represents Martu artists from six communitiesin the Pilbara: Kunawarritji, Punmu, Nullagine,Parnpajinya/Newman, Jigalong, and Parnngurr.Martumili operates in Martu Country spaning theGreat Sandy, Little Sandy and Gibson deserts. Growingrapidly since 2006, it has established a nationalreputation for innovative and dynamic art practice.Martumili focuses on collective arts projects that havestrong links to Country and culture, often resultingin the production of large collaborative paintings.Martumilli has held exhibitions across Australia, hasworks in prominent public and private collectionsand is also attracting an international audience.Martumili is Martu governed and proudly hostedby the Shire of East Pilbara, with generous support byBHP Billiton Iron Ore.“We are all proud of Kathleen Sorensen who is oneof the Revealed artsworkers. Sharing our art andculture is providing Martu people with excitingprofessional development and employmentopportunities. Revealed is another vehicle for this”,says Martumili management.Headquarters:Shire of East PilbaraCnr Kalgan & Newman Drive, NewmanContact:PMB 22, Newman, WA 6753T: + 61 8 9175 8000 E: mao@eastpilbara.wa.gov.auW: www.martumili.com.au22

Martumili basket makersI paint MY Country, gotta do my area, old peoples area, Warnman area. Because that’s my area, where I belong. Good one that painting!When I do other area people say no good! You’re Warnman area! Gotta do him right way!Minyawe Miller, Martumili Artists23

MOWANJUM ARTISTSSPIRIT OF THE WANDJINA ABORIGINAL CORPORATIONAppearing from the air as a giant Wandjina, theMowanjum Art and Culture Centre features an artgallery, artist’s studios, living heritage centre andtheatrette. The art centre supports the artistic andcultural expression of Ngarinyin, Wunumbal andWorrorra artists of the northwest Kimberley, sharingthis knowledge with over 20,000 visitors each year.To the Mowanjum people, the Wandjina is thesupreme spirit being, the creator of all living things.Depicted with no mouth, it’s said their power is suchthat they don’t need to speak. Working mostly innatural ochres, Mowanjum artists continue to paintthe Wandjina image, reinterpreting this ancientimage through contemporary art practice andmedia.Thanks to the generosity of the Mowanjum people,the world now has the opportunity to learn aboutone of the oldest and most powerful images inAboriginal art and the stories that have been passedon that sustain and energise this timeless tradition.Gallery, Studio + Office:Gibb River Road, DerbyContact:PO Box 3Derby WA 6728T: +61 8 9191 1008 E: mowanjum.art@bigpond.comW: www.mowanjumart.com24

opposite page:Francis DolbyWandjinaochre on canvas115 x 70 cmTheresa NumendumahWodoi and Jungunochre on canvas50 x 40 cm25

MUNGART BOODJA ART CENTREPhillip HansenKoikeneerufacrylic on canvas122 x 76 cmJerome WilliamsBetween Two Worldsacrylic on canvas46 x 56 cmMungart Boodja Art Centre is the first Aboriginalowned and operated art centre enterprise in NoongarCountry. The gallery and offices are located in thehistoric town hall in Katanning, in the heart of theGreat Southern region of Western Australia.The focus and purpose of the art centre is to promote,preserve and protect Noongar cultural heritagethrough the arts; it plays a vital role in the transmissionof cultural knowledge across generations. MungartBoodja means ‘Jam Tree Country’, a fitting name forthis beautiful art gallery.Noongar people’s past and present relationship toCountry is depicted in our works of art.Mungart Boodja Art Centre plays a vital rolesupporting the professional development of Noongarartists. It provides a distribution point, a professionalgallery, a comprehensive exhibition calendar andprofessional skills and development workshops.Gallery, Studio + Office:14 Austral Terrace, Katanning26Contact:PO Box 766Katanning WA 6317T: +61 8 9821 2836 E: mungart@mungartboodja.comW: www.mungartboodja.com

Sharyn EganWalliabup, Coolbeelup (tryptich detail)mixed media or ochre, resin, pigment, acrylic, and oil on canvas66 x 46 cmMy aim has always been to promote Noongar art work in Noongar Country so I am honoured to have my work accepted.Sharyn Egan, Mungart Boodja Art CentreI am absolutely thrilled and looking forward to the exhibition. Noongar art needs to have as much exposure as possible and this is a greatopportunity to showcase our works in our Country.Kimberley Krakouer, Mungart Boodja Art Centre27

PAPULANKUTJA ARTISTSPapulankutja Artists was established in 2001, andafter many years of working through the Women’sCentre and then the community hall, Papulankutjaopened their own Art Studio in 2009.Papulankutja Artists is known for both painters andcarvers and our innovative fibre work. Our themes areabout Country and include the Seven Sisters’ story,Wati Kutjarra, IIlupa and Ngirntaka.Papulankutja Artists strive for everybody to worktogether with a strong heart, and today, women andmen, young people and old people all work at theart centre. Papulankutja Artists has reached out toneighbouring communities and started a regionalart program in 2008. There are now 60 artists atPapulankutja and 20 artists at Jameson working forPapulankutja Artists.Carlton Reiduntitledacrylic on canvas45 x 65 mmCarlton Reiduntitledacrylic on canvas60 x 100 cmStudio + Office:Papulankutja CommunityContact:PMB 70via Alice Springs NT 0872T: +61 8 8956 7586 E:artists.papulankutja@bigpond.comW: www.papulankutja.com.au28

SPINIFEX HILL ARTISTSSpinifex Hill Artists are an art centre based in PortHedland, on the northern coast of Western Australia’sremote Pilbara region. Spinifex Hill Artists have beenpainting together since 2008 and our work is rich,joyful and bright.We paint our stories. Our stories are all different anddo not have a neat beginning, middle and end, butare told from all angles, all viewpoints, all momentsin time, and many places. Spinifex Hill Artists siftthrough the visible layers of the world in front of us toreveal something much more intricate and important:about life, history, culture and our close relationshipwith Country.We welcome you to visit. The Studio is open Mondayto Thursday 9.30am to 3.30pm.Studio:Hedland Aboriginal Church of ChristCnr Kennedy St and Cottier Drive, South HedlandContact:FORM 357 Murray St Perth WA 6000T: +61 8 9226 2799 E: form@form.net.auW: www.form.net.auWinnie SampiAerial Shotacrylic on board132 x 61 cm29

TJANPI DESERT WEAVERSTjanpi Desert Weavers is an Aboriginal social enterpriseof the Ngaanyatjarra Pitjantjatjara YankunytjatjaraWomen’s Council (NPYWC) which began in 1995.NPYWC members created Tjanpi (meaning dry grass)to enable women on the Lands to earn a regularincome from selling their fibre art. Building upon along history of working with fibre to make objects forceremonial and domestic use women took quickly tocoiled basketry and were soon sharing these new skills.Tjanpi baskets in their desert homeDianne Golding with her mail planeMore than 400 Aboriginal women artists from 28remote communities in the western and centraldeserts of Australia participate with Tjanpi DesertWeavers and create beautiful, intricate and whimsicalfibre art. Tjanpi Desert Weavers’ mission is to keepculture strong, maintain links with Country andempower the keepers and teachers of desert weavingto build a strong enterprise through which to sharetheir art and culture with the world.At its core Tjanpi is about family and community –about walytja. While out in the bush collecting grasswomen take the time to hunt, gather food, visit sacredsites and teach their children about Country.Headquarters: Gallery, Studio + OfficeNPY Women’s Council3 Wilkinson Street, Alice SpringsContact:PO Box 8921 Alice Springs NT 0871T: +61 8 8958 2377 E: tjanpi@npywc.org.auW: www.tjanpi.com.au30

TJARLIRLI ARTTjarlirli artists love telling stories of culture and Countrythrough painting. Tjarlirli Art is a special place wherewomen go to share stories and sing and dance. Tjarlirliis a rock-hole of great cultural significance to theminyma (women).Formed in April 2006, Tjarlirli Art is comprised of a smallgroup of painters and is tucked away in the communityof Tjukurla, part of the western desert region of theNgaanyatjarra Lands. The aim of Tjarlirli Art is to worktogether to bring employment opportunities andfinancial sustainability to the community.Annie FarmerPungupiddyacrylic on canvas137 x 106 cmStudio + Office:Tjukurla CommunityContact:PMB 37via Alice Springs NT 0872T: +61 8 8956 7777 E: art@tjarlirliart.comW: www.tjarlirliart.com32

Warakurna ArtistsWarakurna is a remote community in the NgaanyatjarraLands, approximately 330km from Uluru. The townshipof approximately 180 people is nestled amongst thespectacular Rawlinson Ranges in the Gibson Desert,close to the Giles Weather Station. Warakurna has along artistic history and is owned and governed byAboriginal people. It provides services to artists livingin and visiting Warakurna and the nearby communityof Wanarn.Warakurna Artists is an energetic, creative and happyplace, where men and women, young and old, paintand share Tjukurrpa (traditional law and culture) andcontemporary stories. Passing on these importantstories to young people is a critical means of keepingculture vital and strong.Studio + Office:Warakurna CommunityContact:PMB 29Via Alice Springs NT 0872T: +61 8 8955 8099 E: art@warakurnaartists.com.auW: www.warakurnaartists.com.auKen ShepherdWarlpirntaacrylic on canvas213 x 152 cm33

WARINGARRI ABORIGINAL ARTSWaringarri Aboriginal Arts specialises in contemporarycollectable art of the east Kimberley. Situated inKununurra, in the heart of Miriwoong Country, the artcentre is wholly owned and directed by the Waringarriartists’ group, with all proceeds from sales returned tothe community.Waringarri Aboriginal Arts was established in the early1980s by senior artists of the region as a place of artand culture. It is the first Aboriginal owned art centreestablished in the Kimberley region and one of theoldest continuously operating art centres in Australia.Building on a timeless artistic tradition, Waringarri’sartists present an authoritative, contemporaryaesthetic, interpreting the grandeur of the Kimberleyregion. Artists relate images of land, traditional loreand stories of station life, blended with interpretationsof contemporary east Kimberley life. Working onlywith ochre pigments, Waringarri artists reinforce theimportance of Country and culture, while exploring acelebration of colour, composition and individualism.Regular traditional corroboree performances are heldthroughout the year, complementing the vitality ofMiriwoong cultural identity and enriching the artists’painting practice.Louise Malarvieuntitlednatural ochre and pigment on paper45 x 45 cmGallery, Studio + Office:Speargrass Road, Kununurra(opposite Kelly’s Knob)opposite: pageKelly-Anne DrillPicaninny Gorgenatural ochre and pigment on canvas45 x 45 cmContact:PO Box 968 Kununurra WA 6743T: +61 8 9168 2212 E: admin@waringarriarts.com.auW: www.waringarriarts.com.au34

WARMUN ART CENTREWarmun artists are renowned for their use of naturalochre and pigments on canvas, which is integral tothe contemporary expression of land and culture asidentity for Gija people. The work of Warmun artists’is an inseparable and celebratory part of Gija cultureand Country, and draws on traditional Ngarrangkarni(Dreaming) stories and contemporary life, such asthe recent floods in March 2011 that devastated thecommunity and the Art Centre.Warmun art has a national and internationalreputation thanks to the leadership of highlysuccessful Warmun artists like Rover Thomas andQueenie McKenzie, George Mung Mung and PaddyJaminji. Now internationally renowned paintersLena Nyadbi, Patrick Mung Mung, Mabel Juli, ShirleyPurdie, Madigan Thomas, Gordon Barney, PhyllisThomas, Churchill Cann and Betty Carrington lead theway for a group of more than 80 emerging artists andover 100 younger artists currently painting throughthe art centre.This new generation of Warmun artists work withthe same, time-honoured materials and stories. Theemerging works display a fresh, original and vibrantstyle that transcends cultural boundaries and placesmany Warmun artists at the forefront of contemporaryart in Australia.Benita EverettUntitledochre on canvas80 x 60 cm36opposite page:Blandina BarneyUntitledochre on canvas60 x 60 cmGallery, Studio + Office:Warmun CommunityContact:PMB 24 Turkey CreekVia Kununurra WA 6743T: +61 8 9168 7496 E: sales@warmunart.comW: www.warmunart.com

WIRNDA BARNA ARTISTSWirnda Barna Artists is one of Australia’s newestAboriginal art centres. It is located on BadimaiaCountry around 320 kms inland from Geraldton.Wirnda Barna services artists in the communities ofYalgoo, Mount Magnet, Sandstone, Cue, Meekatharraand Yulga Jinna.The main gallery and production area are locatedin the old gold mining town of Mount Magnet. Theartists of this region are close to many importantcultural sites such as The Granites and significant rockpainting at Walga Rock.Artists create as individuals and work in many differentstyles, but with a shared purpose of strengtheningtheir connection to culture, Country and the localeconomy.Andrew BinsairFlora and Fauna (detail)acrylic on canvas91 x 76 cmStudio + Office:Cnr of Naughton Stand the Great Northern Highway, Mount MagnetContact:PO Box 50Mount Magnet WA 6638T: +61 8 9963 400738

YAMAJI ARTYamaji Art is a membership based organisationcreating economic benefit for Aboriginal artistsfrom or currently residing in the Midwest, on YamajiCountry. Yamaji Art offers professional services forartists with a focus on sustaining cultural maintenanceand arts practice in a variety of mediums includingpainting, textiles, weaving, printmaking and design.Yamaji Art is an emerging art centre with a salesoutlet and regional depot based in Geraldton. YamajiArt services a huge area of Yamaji Country, includingthe Lower Murchinson towns of Morawa, Mullewaand Northhampton. Yamaji represents artists frommore than five cultural groups from the region:Amangu, Nhanagardi, Naaguja, Badimaya, Wajarriand Wilunyu. As a contemporary urban based artcentre, Yamaji represents artists currently residingin Geraldton or the region, including Nyoongar,Yinggarda and Ngaanyatjarra artists.Charmaine GreenCulture is Fragile...Life is Fragilemixed mediadimensions variableGallery + Office:Ground Floor, Victoria House, Bill Sewell Centre,Cnr Chapman Road + Bayly St, GeraldtonContact:PO Box 2803 Geraldton WA 6531T: +61 8 9965 3440 E: ay@yamajiart.comW: www.yamajiart.com39

YARLIYIL ART CENTREYarliyil Art Centre is located in Halls Creek, in thecentral Kimberley, an area with both desert andKimberley language groups. To the north-east are theGija people, with their tradition of ochre paintings, tothe north-west are the Bunuba, who often paint theriver system of the Fitzroy River, while to the south liesthe desert country of the Kukatja, Warlpiri and others.The artists of Yarliyil reflect these dynamic culturalinfluences: Yarliylil is one of the few art centres whereacrylic and ochre paintings have an equal place, andwhere bush trips may take in both sand dunes andfishing for barramundi.Yarliyil Art Centre is re-establishing itself, with newpartnerships and new artists. Supported by theShire of Halls Creek, Yarliyil is in its first full year ofoperations.Stan BrumbyMurungud (Little Men)acrylic on canvas51 x 51 cm.YARLIYILART CENTREKeeping culture strong through ArtGallery + Office:Town Hall, Great Northern HighwayStan BrumbyMy Countryacrylic on canvas51 x 51 cmContact:PO Box 21Halls Creek WA 6770T: +61 8 9168 6723 E: ado@hcshire.wa.gov.auW: www.yarliyil.com.au40

I feel good that people in Perth can see my paintings.Stan Brumby, Yarliyil Art CentreI’m happy to go to the city to show off my painting.Biddy Timbinah, Yarliyil Art Centre41

KrocetteINDEPENDENT ARTISTAlso known as David Prior, Krocette has been paintingsince he was just ten years old. He is a natural painter,completely self-taught, and he has never had tuitionin art until completing the Certificate III in VisualArt and Contemporary Craft at Kidogo Art Institutein 2010.He is a passionate painter who tells stories of the landwhere his mother and grandmother grew up – theGascoyne/Murchison area, with which he has a closeaffinity.In the summertime as a boy, he remembers thebeautiful colours of the sunsets in the valley there: thereds and oranges turning to gold. He loved to watchthe dry riverbed fill with water at the Murchison River.Sitting around the camp fires and hearing the olderpeople talk inspired him to paint the country and thetraditional ways of life there.Kidogo Arts Institute is an independent art schoolin Fremantle dedicated to providing students witha solid foundation in the visual arts. Their programsare designed to prepare students for careers asprofessional artists or designers. They are a RegisteredTraining Organisation offering accredited Cert III andCert IV programs in Art and Design as well as generalarts courses. They deliver formal training and providesupport to Perth based Indigenous artists, facilitatingthe artists in public artworks and other extensions totheir practice.KrocetteBorn in Moora, Central MidlandsCurrently practises in PerthJparramarlu-red kangaroo sprit dreaming(detail) acrylic on canvas42

Vanessa RussINDEPENDENT ARTISTVanessa’s works are about her connection to her father’sCountry at Gibb River Station in the Kimberley. Herworks are about memory and lived experience and theinvisible link which continues to pull us back to wherewe come from. “It comes from the freshwater” she says.“Currently I am investigating the intercommunicationbetween western art practice and Aboriginal conceptualthinking. To forge new territory, requires the audacity ofcurators to provide an opening for new potentiality inAboriginal art, rather than just adding to already stifleddefinitions. This year, Revealed offers an approach thathas the capacity to shift current perspectives. By givingaccess to artists like me, who are not assigned to an artcventre, who live outside their place of origin, and whowant to generate new possibilities – I can reach a newcommunication platform with the public.”Vanessa’s participation in Revealed was facilitatedby Artsource: the Artists Foundation of WesternAustralia. Its key role is as a service organisation forartists, providing quality service combined withimaginative delivery. In 2003, the organisationbegan implementation of a program of professionaldevelopment specifically geared to Indigenousand regionally based artists in Western Australia.This work has created access to employment andother professional development for a previouslyoverlooked sector.Vanessa RussBorn in Derby, West KimberleyCurrently practises in her Midland studio (Artsource), PerthLiving Subterranean 1 + 2, 2011charcoal on tabriano paper140 x 110 cm43

Revealed Artsworker ProgramCarly Davenport – ProGRAM ADVISORRemote and urban professional exchange is vital to the future of Western Australia’sAboriginal art sector. The Revealed Artsworker Program builds bridges between remote andurban artworkers, stretching the boundaries of the industry itself and ultimately expandingeveryone’s horizon in the process.Each of the three women selected for the Artsworker Program isdriven by a personal and professional dedication to ensure Aboriginalartists and enterprises are engaged, valued and operating at optimumlevels. Natalie Hunter (Bidyadanga Artists) and Kathleen Sorensen(Martumili Artists) work in remote community art centres, whilstDeborah Bonar is based in Perth and works with Kidogo Art Instituteas well as manages ‘Scribblebark,’ her own design consultancy.Baker Lane with carvings for Revealed. Kumpaya Girgaba andfamily with woven basket (Martumili Artists)Through Revealed’s Artsworker Program they have come togetherto share their experiences, extend their networks and workalongside Revealed’s interdiscipinary team. They have been part ofthe selection process of the artist applications, learnt first-hand anarray of administration processes and contributed to the exhibition’scuration and installation, as well as participated in the project moregenerally. In addition, they have spent time with several leadingcurators and directors of public and private galleries and museumsin Perth, exploring their collections and approaches to exhibiting.The knowledge and networks gained can be shared with their ownenterprises and colleagues.Natalie, Kathleen and Deborah are motivated by their families, theirpersonal connection to Country and have a keen desire to continuelearning to advance their careers. As well as being artsworkers, theyare also aspiring artists. Their engagement with Revealed enhancesand informs both of these roles, highlighting the inseparable linkbetween artsworkers and artists.Revealed 2011 encourages reciprocity between remote and urbannetworks, emerging artists, public and private galleries, curatorialstaff and artsworkers. This exchange is carving exciting newprofessional and industry development pathways.44

Kathleen Sorensen, ArtsworkerI heard about this job through Gabrielle (our Martumili Manager). I was thinking ‘Yeah, Why not!I’ll try it out’. Then I was accepted, I believe things happen for a reason. Plus this is going to give memore experience and more confidence in what I do. As I am an artist also, I was a bit disappointedI didn’t get picked as an artist. I wish my art was part of the exhibition, even though, it is good tobe part of making and organising of the Revealed exhibition. When the next Revealed show is on,I’ll know what to do, to get my art work in as an emerging artist.All the artists of Western Australia entered beautiful art. I’m really happy for those artists whodid well in getting accepted. I reckon Revealed will encourage more artists to open up with theirart and show them anything is possible when you believe in yourself and your art work.Kathleen Sorensen and Amy French atMartumili 2010 Christmas PartyDeborah Bonar, ArtsworkerMy Aboriginal identity and development as an artist and artsworker is strongly interlinked and isan exploration of my Gija and Yamaji heritage. Through my practice, I am reconnecting with mycultural heritage – country, family and history.As an artsworker, I’ve learned how to carefully unpack the artwork, paintings, sculptures and 3Dwork such as woven baskets and wooden artefacts. It was exciting to unpack a box and reveal abeautiful work of art. Now I know why curators get so excited! Each one was carefully documented.I assisted with the photography and recorded the artwork details into the catalogue of works.Deborah Bonar in her studio.I have learned really practical skills that I’ve begun using for my own art practice. For example,Thelma taught me how to use spreadsheets to record and catalogue artworks. I find this a greatmethod of keeping track. I learned so much from working on Revealed and I feel privileged to beworking behind the scenes.The Revealed program has been a wonderful experience for my professional development.It’s given me an opportunity to build on my existing skills in art, business and marketing. It’sconnecting me to other art professionals such as curators and consultants, giving me insightinto their job roles. I am very grateful that they shared their knowledge and experience with me.45

Natalie Hunter, ArtsworkerI am employed as the art centre’s administrator and I love my job. We work with young and oldpeople and other community members. I love working with the old people especially. They tellme stories from long ago. They inspire me and their stories move and motivate my work. It is agood experience for me to learn different things about the old days and compare this knowledgeto how we are living now. My family are also artists.Natalie Hunter at Bidyadanga CommunityArt CentreWhen I learnt that my application for Revealed was accepted, it made me feel proud to representmy community and test myself. It is my first time participating in something this big and awayfrom my home. I knew it would give me the experience towards my job, to learn new things andto share my experience with other people my age or who may one day also want to work as anartsworker. Revealed is a good opportunity for our new and emerging artists so we can put theirnames out there to represent our community.In addition to my work with Bidyadanga Artists and Revealed, I am studying a managementcourse with Curtin University but I study from home. I would like to help my people run the artcentre one day.Spinifex Hill artist Winnie Sampi painting46

I only started painting last year! Theresa, my big sister encouraged me to come to the art centreto paint. My baby Tiffany was new and her father Stanley was working at the art centre, so it wasa family thing. I’m excited to be part of the Revealed exhibition and to be in a catalogue too.Priscilla Numendumah, Mowanjum Art and Culture CentreHow did I feel to be part of Revealed? I was a bit shocked and pretty happy to be picked! I’mlooking forward to coming to Perth and meeting people from other art centres and meeting thepeople who like to look at and buy art.Theresa Numendumah, Mowanjum Art and Culture CentreI’m really proud to be in this exhibition. I am teaching my son Sheldon my Tjukrrupa through mypaintings. I am painting my father’s Country, Walpirnta. This is me and my father’s Tjukurrpa(dreaming). A few years ago I saw Walpirnta from a helicopter. It was the first time; it made mereally happy to see the place my father had told me about.Ken Shepherd, Warakurna ArtistsI’m keen about seeing my artwork in the exhibition and looking forward to talking about thestories and showing people my paintings.Lorraine Daylight, Warmun Art Centre47

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSWelcome to Nyoongar Country:Revealed Catalogue and Exhibition by Kim CollardRevealed Coordinators:Thelma John (Gallery Central) and Tim Acker (Tracker Development)Reference Group:Elizabeth Spencer, Linda Tavelli, Michelle Broun, Kathleen Toomath, Roz Lipscombe (Department ofCulture and the Arts); Tim Pearn, John Styants (Department of Indigenous Affairs); Thelma John (GalleryCentral); Tim Acker (Tracker Development); Christine Scoggin (Aboriginal Art Centre Hub of WesternAustralia); Rhys George and Richard Joseph (Office for the Arts, Department of Prime Minister andCabinet); and Carly LaneTrainee Artsworkers:Deborah Bonar (Kidogo Art Institute), Natalie Hunter (Bidyadanga Community Art Centre), KathleenSorensen (Martumili Artists)RevealedEmerging Aboriginal Artists from Western Australia24 October – 12 November 2011Arts worker Program: 9–10 May, 19–23 September, 17–29 OctoberMarketplace at Gallery Central, Perth 28–29 OctoberProfessional Development at Gallery Central, Perth 26–27 OctoberContact:Gallery Central12 Aberdeen St Northbridge, Western Australia 6003P: +61 8 9427 1318E: gallery@central.wa.edu.auW: www.gallerycentral.com.auArtsworkers Program:Devised by Susan Congreve and Carly Davenport (Tracker Development)Marketing and Promotion:Kezia DawkinsPhotography:Peter Eve (Monsoon Photography), Nigel Gaunt, Tim Acker, Simon Phelps, Nicole Yardley andChristine Villanti and Aboriginal Arts Centres.Special Thanks:Ron Bradfield Jnr (Artsource), Sharyn Egan (Mungart Boodja Art Centre), Predrag Delibasich (GalleryCentral), Tahn Donovan and Alicia Nelson (Noongar Kadadjiny Kulark Kart, Central Institute ofTechnology), Alan Dodge, Seva Frangos Art, Glen Pilkington (Art Gallery of Western Australia),Joanna Robertson (Kidogo Art Institute), Pauline Williams (John Curtin Gallery, Curtin University),Mark Stewart (Murdoch University), Barbara Matters and Michael Bonner (Berndt Museum ofAnthropology, University of Western Australia)Copyright 2011The Artists, Aboriginal Art Centres and the essayistsAll rights reserved. This publication is copyright. Apart from any fairdealing for the purpose of private research, criticism or review, aspermitted under the Copyright Act, no part of this publication may bereproduced or transmitted in any form, by any means, electronic ormechanical, including photocopying, recording or any other informationstorage or retrieval system without prior permission in writing from thepublishers. Essays are copyright to the contributors.ISBN 978-0-646-56573-6Catalogue:Compiled and Edited by Carly DavenportDesigned by Square Peg Designopposite page: Spinifex Hill Artists’ worksRevealed 2011 has been made possible through the collaboration of the following partners:48